Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Bloodline ❯ Broken Angel ( Chapter 9 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Angie-san 
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.19.2005 | Updated On: 06.05.2011 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.1K | Visits: 717 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.19.2005 | Updated On: 06.05.2011 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.1K | Visits: 717 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.
Chapter 9 - Broken Angel
From the shadows of Shishio's room, Yumi angrily watched the pair in the garden, her black eyes igniting with pent up fury. "Nothing to worry about, hmm? Lying son of a bitch."
"It seems you've been replaced."
Yumi swung around and nailed the smirking bastard behind her with a hate-filled glare, "Not for long."
Razan's smirk only deepened at her words and Yumi pushed past him to make her way to her own room. Running over various ways to rid herself of this nuisance as she went, she smiled. Several of the more painful ones were rather enticing.
A soft chuckle followed her out of the room as Razan watched her go. The bitch had it coming, she'd been the downfall of many over the years and he would gleefully watch her fall this time. Whistling lightly he made his way over to the shoji just in time to see Shishio's new toy collapse to the ground. This one seemed to be broken, but from what he'd been told she would bring about the demise of the government that had destroyed his family.
Grinning to himself, he slid the door closed and headed to the audience hall. Today they would test the new toy's power, that should be rather interesting.
oooooooooooooooooo
Kaoru dropped to the futon in her room when Shishio let go of her arm and stared blindly at the beautiful waterfall etched into the wall before her. She was lost, just as the voice had screamed in her mind. There would be no escape for her now. She couldn't even cry, there was nothing left in her but the darkness that wrapped her in black shell stealing away all hope.
Shishio knelt down before her and grasped her face lining her eyes up with his. The bleak emptiness he saw in their depths unnerved him, he wanted her broken but not completely useless. Leaning in he brushed his lips against hers and frowned at the lack of reaction, she simply continued to stare at him as if he wasn't even there. Lightly pushing against the pathetic barrier she'd thrown up to block out the bond between them he felt it buckle slightly under the pressure. Pushing a touch more he fed a sliver of his desire through the bond, knowing if anything that would get a reaction.
Kaoru stiffened then jerked her head out of his hands as the slimy feel of his lust suddenly invaded her veins, twisting her stomach into knots. Lashing out instinctively she swung her fist at his head. "GET OUT OF MY MIND!" she screamed, her eyes igniting with burning hate.
Shishio grinned and caught her wrist before her knuckles could connect. "Come now, is that any way to treat the man you will spend forever with?"
Scowling viciously Kaoru yanked her arm from his grasp and slammed the barrier closed, a grin slid across her lips at the grimace of pain that shot across his features. "I would rather die than live my life with you."
Grabbing her roughly Shishio pinned her arms to her side and rested his cheek against hers. "You and I are meant to be together. After you destroy the Meiji government for me we will have all the time in the world for you to realize that you are mine," he purred into her ear. The shiver that raced through her body ignited what he tried to keep locked down and he pushed away from her before he could give in. She wasn't ready for that yet. Quickly rising to his feet, he strode to the door and slid the shoji back.
“Be prepared to leave in an hour," he ordered without looking at her then he stepped from the room, closing the door soundly behind him. On silent feet he padded the handful of feet to his own room trying to quiet the desire pulsing through his veins. If she continued to fight him he wouldn't be able to hold back. He knew if he gave in too soon it would destroy her, then what fun would their eternity be?
Kaoru wilted onto the futon as the door slid closed behind him, all the fight draining from her in an instant. She could still feel his desire ebbing through her, leaving her feeling unclean, violated. She had to find a way to break free from him or she knew she would be forced to do things she couldn't even stand to imagine with him. Her stomach began to churn at the mere thought, forcing bile into her throat. Reflexively gagging she made the barrier stronger, completely blocking him out.
A bone-weary sigh slipped from her lips and Kaoru curled into a ball as the memory of the kiss she'd shared with Kenshin slowly surfaced pushing away the slimy feeling Shishio had left as she once again felt the pressure of his lips against hers. Sudden warmth flooded her body and she finally gave in to exhaustion and drifted off to sleep with the feel of Kenshin's chest pressed firmly against hers, the emptiness and despair she'd felt melting away.
Yet, her reprieve was shortlived.
An hour later Kaoru found herself ripped violently from the darkness when a hand gripped her arm and ruthlessly hauled her to knees. Wrenching her shoulder in the process. Blinking owlishly she grimaced at the pain that shot down her arm and tried to shake off the lingering effects of her short nap. Another shake accompanied by a snarl forced a gasp. Finally managing to rid her head of the fogginess her eyes settled on the monster who'd brought her to this kami forsaken mansion. Yanking her arm out of his hold she scowled and glared up at him. She was just about sick of this man. "What the hell do you want?"
A grin split Razan's lips. "It's time to go pet, Shishio is waiting for you."
"For what?" Kaoru bit out caustically as she rose and made to take a step back. She wasn't going anywhere with him or Shishio.
Lightening fast, Razan's hand shot out and grabbed her arm with a crushing grip. "That you will soon find out," he replied as he led her from the room and down the hall. Kaoru gave a tentative tug on her arm to see if she had any hope and felt a small tingle of fear begin to stir when he tightened his grip. This wasn't good.
Beyond the wall encircling the mansion, Shishio leaned against the carriage and waited patiently for Razan to arrive with his angel. Today he would finally see what kind of power she housed within that petite, beautiful little body, somehting he had been anticipating since she'd arrived. Spying Razan leading her down the tunnel his heart sped up when his eyes met the glare of hatred she was leveling at him. It was a far cry from the empty look that had swam in their sapphire depths earlier. Grinning to himself, he watched the flicker of defiance pass through her shining orbs before they shifted to the surrounding landscape and then it vanished under one of undisguised hope. His grin widened even further when he realized she was going to try to escape again.
Ignoring the man staring dead at her with a grin, Kaoru simply stared in disbelief at the salvation she'd been desperately hoping for. The dirt road beyond the carriage lay open and empty, inviting her to break and run. To either side of the path lay a dense forest marching away into the distance, if she could get to the trees she could vanish, Aoshi had trained her well. Gathering herself, she wrenched her arm out of her tormentor's grasp and sprinted out of the tunnel, ignoring Shishio as she fled past him down the dirt road aiming for the trees only a scant fifty yards away.
Surprised, Razan made to run after her but came up short when Shishio threw out his arm to stop him.
"She won't get far, she is mine. Mind, soul...and body."
Running for all she was worth, Kaoru didn't even notice her raven locks coming loose from her hair tie to flow out behind her, the golden highlights twinkling in the sunlight. Freedom was just within her grasp, mere yards away, when she began to feel as if she was running through water. First ankle high but getting deeper and deeper the further she got down the road until she felt as if she was fighting against the driving current of a river. Panting, she dropped to her knees and tried to crawl, moving one knee she fought against the invisible force trying to pull her back. A cry of anger ripped from her throat when she was completely stopped, unable to move any further.
Slowly the pull began to recede allowing her to glance over her shoulder. Her heart plunged to her feet when she saw Shishio walking towards her, a knowing smile on his lips. The closer he came to her the more movement she was allowed until she was finally able to stand. Eyeing him warily she backed away from him as he halted, and immediately felt the pull drag at her again the further she moved away from him. Kaoru started to shake as realization struck her hard in the gut. She really was bound to him with unbreakable chains just as her mother had said.
Horrified, a shriek of fury and hopelessness tore from the very depths of her soul, shattering the silence of the forest. Losing control she clutched her head and fell to her knees as something began to answer her call pushing against the barrier, aching to break free. The need to destroy what was harming her flowed out from deep inside her mind, battering itself against the flimsy wall holding it back. Terrified she reinforced the barrier just in time, stopping it from breaking loose. Suddenly exhausted she fell forward, resting her forehead on the dusty ground. Kami, what am I?!
Shishio loosened his grip on the bond as he closed the distance between them, sure she wasn't going to try anything again. He could feel her terror echoing along the bond. She'd been cowed by her own lack of knowledge, her fear of the unknown and of herself. Grinning, he realized it wouldn't take much to push her far enough to lose control...she was the ultimate weapon and nothing would stand in his way now.
In a couple of steps he reached her huddled form and leaned down to grasp her arm. He was surprised when she yanked out of his grip and stood, backing away slowly.
"What am I?" Kaoru growled angrily, still feeling terribly unbalanced.
Shishio simply smiled. "You, my dear, are the weapon that will bring Japan to its knees."
Kaoru's temper snapped, flying at him she grabbed ahold of his gi. Her eyes flaring as she fisted the fabric in a white-knuckled grip. "WHAT AM I?"
A grin touched Shishio's lips, loosening her hold on his gi he pulled her tight to his chest. "Do you really want to know what you hold within you, sweet angel?" he teased. Leaning his forehead against hers he murmured, "You have within you both the power to heal and the power to destroy those who would harm you. Passed down to you by our founding mother Takashi Akiko...a fallen angel."
Kaoru stiffened. Pulling away from him as far as she could she met his eyes as a tingle of fear crawled up her spine. "Angel? What do you mean?" When he remained silent, she scoffed. "You’re insane. I've never healed or destroyed anything before in my life."
A sly grin lit up Shishio's face. "Ah but you see, my dear, you were unable to use the healing part of your blood unless you were bonded...but now that you are mine neither of us can be harmed much less die." And then he leaned until his nose was almost brushing hers. "And the destruction part has lain dormant because of your own lack of knowledge. Do you know, you could have killed me with it before I formed the bond but now it's too late, not even that will kill me now." Relishing the shudder that swept through her body he placed a soft kiss on her slightly parted lips, "I will use what's inside you to destroy my enemies."
Kaoru stared at him in horror. Yanking herself out of his hands she fell back onto the ground, "I'm not what you say I am, I could never kill anyone...ever!"
"Yes you can, my dear, and you will." Reaching down he took hold of her arm and hauled her to her feet, leading her towards the carriage. "We go now to see just what kind of destruction you are capable of."
Kaoru fought against his iron grip, twisting and wrenching against his pull. Deep down a part of her knew he was right, she could destroy even against her will. She'd felt it when the power he was talking about had surged up desperately wanting to hurt him for harming her. A moment later she was shoved roughly into the carriage and she sprawled across the seat knocking her head hard against the bare wood. With a grimace she righted herself and spun around intending to jump back out but came up short when Shishio joined her within on the facing seat. Scooting back she slammed herself against the far wall, trying to get as far away from him as possible. The carriage suddenly jerked forward violently and she was abruptly thrown into his lap. A small cry escaped her as she impacted with his chest. Instantly she straightened and darted away from him, curling into the far corner.
A small chuckle escaped Shishio's lips as he eyed her slight form tucked into the corner. She look like a frightened rabbit...ah but a beautiful rabbit. Regrettable as it was he was going to have to get rid of Yumi now but the nubile little filly before him would more than make up for the loss.
Unable to meet the hungry look Shishio had leveled on her Kaoru ignored him the best she could and stared out the window watching the trees pass by. A sudden cold chill swept through her body making her shiver uncontrollably. She couldn't take much more. The very thought of being chained to him for the rest of her life was already pushing her perilously close to the edge, she could feel the power swimming behind the barrier agitated by her fear. What frightened her the most at the moment was that she couldn't control what was in her, she was afraid of what would happen if it was ever unleashed.
Closing her eyes she tried to quiet her fear to calm the raging monster in her mind. Unbidden Kenshin, Yahiko and Sano's faces popped up pulling at her heart. Kami she missed them, the arguments between Sano and Yahiko, Kenshin's quiet strength. She wondered if Kenshin even knew she was gone yet. Shaking her head she knew he probably didn't. He had enough to worry about with the destruction of Tomoe's grave and hunting down the one who would do such a thing, he was likely still in Kyoto. Curling further into herself a single tear escape her closed lids. It didn't matter if he did or not anyway, there was no way he could save her...no one could, she was truly lost to the ones she loved.
Shishio watched her tighten herself further into a ball, he could feel the complete loss of hope echo through the bond. She was finally starting to realize there was no possibility of escape. Pleased he glanced out the window to judge their locale. Perfect. Reaching across the carriage he knocked his fist against the wooden wall, signaling Razan to stop. Instantly the carriage came to a screeching halt, throwing Kaoru into his lap again as it rocked. The smile on his face turned into a full-fledged grin at the feel of her soft body pressed against him, locking his arms around her he murmured in a low voice, "Come, my dear, time to see what you can do."
With that he let her go, opened the door and stepped out, offering her his assistance.
Kaoru ignored his outstretched hand and hesitantly stepped from the carriage, fighting down the sickening feel of his lust that was seeping through the solid barrier she'd built to block him out. Tightening the barrier even more she sighed when the feeling completely disappeared. Doing her best to ignore his physical presence she glanced to their surroundings and took note of the sea of green that went as far as she could see, the trees only broken by the path leading back towards the mansion and down the mountain.
Suddenly her wrist was locked in a tight grip and she was led through the underbrush along a small deer path. Prickers pulled and tore at the soft material of her hakama, jabbing painfully into her skin every once in a while. Ignoring the tiny bites into her skin she walked along after Shishio, trying to figure out if there was some way to stop him from unleashing the power within her. There had to be a way, it was inside her after all, not him. She had to have some kind of control over it. She couldn't allow him to break the barrier again, even now the power gently prodded against the barrier in hopes of destroying her enemies.
So lost in her internal quest Kaoru didn't notice when they broke out of the dense foliage and into a wide open area. Continuing her forward motion she walked right into Shishio's still form. With a surprised hiss, she stumbled back and looked around in an attempt to get her bearings again. Her breath hitched in her throat when she peeked around Shishio and saw the beautiful emerald green meadow rolling away in all directions, the healthy knee high grass gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. Stepping up beside him she noticed a huge lone sakura tree standing solitary in the middle of the field, it’s heavily laden limbs reaching high up into the heavens.
A tug on her arm set her to moving again. Icy fear gripped ahold of her, freezing the blood in her veins as Shishio led her towards the tree. The sure purpose in his stride alerting her that the moment was near. She had to find a way to stop him now! She couldn't let him win, she didn't want to see what she was capable of.
As they neared the sakura tree Shishio drew her fallen ribbon from his gi. Leading her under the heavily laden branches he lifted her arm to the lowest limb, fighting against her insistent tugging as he tied her wrist to the branch and stepped away. The fear swirling in her sapphire eyes set his heart to thumping fiercely in his chest. Grabbing ahold of her writhing form he locked her in a hard kiss relishing the softness of her lips beneath his, The sweetness of her taste and despair was a heady elixir driving him to want more even though he knew he shouldn't.
Kaoru's stomach heaved violently as Shishio trailed his tongue along her bottom lip, trying to force his way into her mouth. She tried pulling away from him but he had her locked in a bone crushing grip, she could barely breath let alone move. After trailing several nipping kisses across her mouth he finally released her and stepped back. She spat at him, trying to rid herself of the feel of his lips against hers.
"Do that again and I will find a way to kill you!" She threatened, any fear she'd had quickly burning away under the anger that pulsed through her veins.
A small smile graced Shishio's lips. "Nothing can kill me, sweet angel," he taunted, trailing his finger along the soft skin of her cheek. "But if simply kissing you ignites such anger I will have to do it more often. I do love fiery women."
Kaoru shivered, sickened by his touch. Glaring at him she reached up and started picking at the knot trying to free her wrist, her fear building steadily again as the memory of the stone room flitted through her mind. She couldn't take that again
Shishio grabbed a hold of her hand and shook his head, "I can't let you do that." Accepting the line of rope Razan held out he tied her other wrist to another limb successfully securing her to the tree. With a smile he stepped to admire his handiwork. She resembled the foreign god that some of the people were starting to worship, all she was missing was the crown of thorns on her head. Shaking his head he amended that, no she's a goddess...a goddess of destruction.
His personal goddess.
Shishio grinned at the thought and glanced to Razan, "Stay close to the tree, she will kill you if you're not near her." With that he spun on his heel and started to make his way to the edge of the trees again, he wanted to see the full view of her power.
Glaring at Shishio's back Kaoru desperately fought against the bonds holding her. Strangling fear tightened her throat as the power started pushing more insistently against the barrier, fighting to break free. Quickly realizing her agitation was making the battle futile she stopped fighting and focused on calming herself instead. Taking several slow even breaths to calm her racing heart she was rewarded when the power quieted settling into a dull throb, eddying softly behind the wall.
A sudden lash against the barrier made Kaoru scream in mental pain, causing the power to lurch up again and batter violently against the barrier. Fighting for control she grabbed ahold of the barrier with an iron fist and poured all of her strength into keeping the wall in place. Another lash weakened her hold and to her horror she felt the barrier crack under the pressure. Sealing the crack quickly she waited for another lash, ready to reinforce the barrier again if need be. When none came she relaxed somewhat and opened her eyes, across the meadow she could see Shishio leaning against a tree, his blood red eyes glowing in the sunlight. A faint chuckle drifted to her on the wind and Kaoru narrowed her eyes, he was enjoying this, she could feel the glee slide along the bond slipping into her skin. A sudden surge of anger tore through her chest. Grabbing ahold of the bond she viciously slammed the barrier closed in an attempt to severe the link. A hiss of pain echoed through the quiet meadow and she smiled in satisfaction when she opened her eyes and saw Shishio bent over on his knees gripping his head.
Yet what she didn't realize was that her rebellion only fueled his sadistic nature.
Shaking off the headache her weak retaliation caused, Shishio righted himself slowly as a malicious laugh bubbled up from deep within his chest. So she wanted a fight huh? Fixing her with an icy glare, he almost smiled when her sapphire eyes grew impossibly large. For long moment he simply held her gaze, prolonging her torment, and then he gathered his strength and lashed out again with all the power he could muster. She would break whether she wanted to or not.
An ear-piercing scream ripped from Kaoru's throat as her body jerked from the impact of the mental whiplash. Losing her hold on the barrier it shuddered and split under the onslaught. Allowing the power to surge out of its prison it exploded out of her very pores, wrapping the tree she was bound to in a bright golden cocoon. Dark, thundering clouds materialized in the sky, throwing bolts of lightning to the ground in a deadly dance, splitting trees and the ground in it's wake. A howling wind followed, its roar preceeding the ripping of trees from their hold to be tossed away like grassblades. The earth shivered and exploded around the entire tree caving into itself before it rolled out like a carpet throwing chunks high into the sky to bounce off the shield surrounding her.
The sight and sound of it all overwhelmed the witnesses.
Shishio laughed as the power exploded from her wrapping them both in a protective shell. He felt a tentacle of the power shoot through the bond, intent on harming him in any way it could. Waiting for it to finally reach him he laughed again when it burned away in the bright glow surrounding him. Turning his attention to the destruction being leveled on the meadow and the surrounding forest he watched mesmerized as the wave of earth neared him only to split and curve around him leaving him untouched yet continuing to roll past him, leveling everything in its path. Shifting his eyes to Kaoru a chuckle escaped him, she was so bright he could barely see the outline of her figure within the golden globe surrounding the tree. He could feel the battle being waged inside her mind, tilting his head to the side he idly wondered if she would be able to win or if he'd have to step in and help her lock it down.
Consumed in a battle to keep her sanity Kaoru fought tenaciously for control as the unleashed monster within ruthlessly ripped her mind apart. The sheer force of its need to destroy the one hurting her pulling her into a maelstrom of endless darkness. Trying to build a barrier she screamed in fury as the power shredded it before she could get it caged. Determined to lock the beast down she tried again and again to build the wall only to have the power begin to rip it apart. Despairing at her inability she gasped as an outside presence suddenly stepped in and threw up a temporary barrier, allowing her time to complete hers. Sealing the power down she sighed and sagged in relief, exhausted from the battle. A barely discernable whisper filtered into her battered mind, the sadness in the voice echoing through her soul.
"Gomen, little one, this is all my fault."
Tears welled up in Kaoru's eyes, the pain in the whispered entreaty touching something deep inside her heart. She couldn't take anymore, she just wanted to die and be free of the beasts within her and those without.
Shishio scowled when he felt another presence enter Kaoru's mind and help her block the power. Suddenly the glow surrounding them faded leaving them open to the aftereffects of the power's destruction. Tremors continued to shake the ground beneath his feet as the earth settled back into itself. Slowly making his way over the torn ground he reached Kaoru's limp figure and reached up, releasing one wrist as Razan did the same with the other. Catching her before she crumbled to the ground he lifted her into his arms and started his way back to the carriage; grinning triumphantly. He didn't need man-made weapons, all he needed was her.
Feeling the swaying motion of Shishio's gait, Kaoru slowly opened her eyes and felt sick when she saw destruction surrounding them. Rising up slightly, she peeked over Shishio's shoulder to see the full extent of what she'd done and immediately regretted it. The sakura tree remained untouched in the middle of what used to be the meadow, its blossoms shivering in the light breeze that swept over them, looking surreal in the midst of chaos. The emerald green grass was completely buried beneath the chunks of broken earth, the forest in the distance now leveled for as far as the eye could see. The trees ripped from the ground to lay in broken heaps. Closing her eyes she sank into the darkness of exhaustion tickling the edge of her senses as tears ran unchecked down her cheeks. She truly was a monster if she could destroy so much simply with her mind.
Tucking the now sleeping Kaoru closer to his chest, Shishio carefully picked his way over the broken ground until he finally reached what was left of the trail leading down the mountain. It had been completely destroyed for as far as the eye could see in both directions. Directly across from him, the carriage lay in broken pieces against the trunk of a monstrous tree stump tilting haphazardly to the side, the horses lay in a heap speared by limbs that had been driven ruthlessly through their sides linking them together even in death. Turning to Razan a lazy smile touched his lips, "Looks like we're walking".
With that he started picking his way over the ground back towards the mansion, cradling Kaoru's sleeping form even tighter. He wasn't going to let anything happen to his precious angel, she was far too valuable to lose now.
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Chapter 9 - Broken Angel
From the shadows of Shishio's room, Yumi angrily watched the pair in the garden, her black eyes igniting with pent up fury. "Nothing to worry about, hmm? Lying son of a bitch."
"It seems you've been replaced."
Yumi swung around and nailed the smirking bastard behind her with a hate-filled glare, "Not for long."
Razan's smirk only deepened at her words and Yumi pushed past him to make her way to her own room. Running over various ways to rid herself of this nuisance as she went, she smiled. Several of the more painful ones were rather enticing.
A soft chuckle followed her out of the room as Razan watched her go. The bitch had it coming, she'd been the downfall of many over the years and he would gleefully watch her fall this time. Whistling lightly he made his way over to the shoji just in time to see Shishio's new toy collapse to the ground. This one seemed to be broken, but from what he'd been told she would bring about the demise of the government that had destroyed his family.
Grinning to himself, he slid the door closed and headed to the audience hall. Today they would test the new toy's power, that should be rather interesting.
oooooooooooooooooo
Kaoru dropped to the futon in her room when Shishio let go of her arm and stared blindly at the beautiful waterfall etched into the wall before her. She was lost, just as the voice had screamed in her mind. There would be no escape for her now. She couldn't even cry, there was nothing left in her but the darkness that wrapped her in black shell stealing away all hope.
Shishio knelt down before her and grasped her face lining her eyes up with his. The bleak emptiness he saw in their depths unnerved him, he wanted her broken but not completely useless. Leaning in he brushed his lips against hers and frowned at the lack of reaction, she simply continued to stare at him as if he wasn't even there. Lightly pushing against the pathetic barrier she'd thrown up to block out the bond between them he felt it buckle slightly under the pressure. Pushing a touch more he fed a sliver of his desire through the bond, knowing if anything that would get a reaction.
Kaoru stiffened then jerked her head out of his hands as the slimy feel of his lust suddenly invaded her veins, twisting her stomach into knots. Lashing out instinctively she swung her fist at his head. "GET OUT OF MY MIND!" she screamed, her eyes igniting with burning hate.
Shishio grinned and caught her wrist before her knuckles could connect. "Come now, is that any way to treat the man you will spend forever with?"
Scowling viciously Kaoru yanked her arm from his grasp and slammed the barrier closed, a grin slid across her lips at the grimace of pain that shot across his features. "I would rather die than live my life with you."
Grabbing her roughly Shishio pinned her arms to her side and rested his cheek against hers. "You and I are meant to be together. After you destroy the Meiji government for me we will have all the time in the world for you to realize that you are mine," he purred into her ear. The shiver that raced through her body ignited what he tried to keep locked down and he pushed away from her before he could give in. She wasn't ready for that yet. Quickly rising to his feet, he strode to the door and slid the shoji back.
“Be prepared to leave in an hour," he ordered without looking at her then he stepped from the room, closing the door soundly behind him. On silent feet he padded the handful of feet to his own room trying to quiet the desire pulsing through his veins. If she continued to fight him he wouldn't be able to hold back. He knew if he gave in too soon it would destroy her, then what fun would their eternity be?
Kaoru wilted onto the futon as the door slid closed behind him, all the fight draining from her in an instant. She could still feel his desire ebbing through her, leaving her feeling unclean, violated. She had to find a way to break free from him or she knew she would be forced to do things she couldn't even stand to imagine with him. Her stomach began to churn at the mere thought, forcing bile into her throat. Reflexively gagging she made the barrier stronger, completely blocking him out.
A bone-weary sigh slipped from her lips and Kaoru curled into a ball as the memory of the kiss she'd shared with Kenshin slowly surfaced pushing away the slimy feeling Shishio had left as she once again felt the pressure of his lips against hers. Sudden warmth flooded her body and she finally gave in to exhaustion and drifted off to sleep with the feel of Kenshin's chest pressed firmly against hers, the emptiness and despair she'd felt melting away.
Yet, her reprieve was shortlived.
An hour later Kaoru found herself ripped violently from the darkness when a hand gripped her arm and ruthlessly hauled her to knees. Wrenching her shoulder in the process. Blinking owlishly she grimaced at the pain that shot down her arm and tried to shake off the lingering effects of her short nap. Another shake accompanied by a snarl forced a gasp. Finally managing to rid her head of the fogginess her eyes settled on the monster who'd brought her to this kami forsaken mansion. Yanking her arm out of his hold she scowled and glared up at him. She was just about sick of this man. "What the hell do you want?"
A grin split Razan's lips. "It's time to go pet, Shishio is waiting for you."
"For what?" Kaoru bit out caustically as she rose and made to take a step back. She wasn't going anywhere with him or Shishio.
Lightening fast, Razan's hand shot out and grabbed her arm with a crushing grip. "That you will soon find out," he replied as he led her from the room and down the hall. Kaoru gave a tentative tug on her arm to see if she had any hope and felt a small tingle of fear begin to stir when he tightened his grip. This wasn't good.
Beyond the wall encircling the mansion, Shishio leaned against the carriage and waited patiently for Razan to arrive with his angel. Today he would finally see what kind of power she housed within that petite, beautiful little body, somehting he had been anticipating since she'd arrived. Spying Razan leading her down the tunnel his heart sped up when his eyes met the glare of hatred she was leveling at him. It was a far cry from the empty look that had swam in their sapphire depths earlier. Grinning to himself, he watched the flicker of defiance pass through her shining orbs before they shifted to the surrounding landscape and then it vanished under one of undisguised hope. His grin widened even further when he realized she was going to try to escape again.
Ignoring the man staring dead at her with a grin, Kaoru simply stared in disbelief at the salvation she'd been desperately hoping for. The dirt road beyond the carriage lay open and empty, inviting her to break and run. To either side of the path lay a dense forest marching away into the distance, if she could get to the trees she could vanish, Aoshi had trained her well. Gathering herself, she wrenched her arm out of her tormentor's grasp and sprinted out of the tunnel, ignoring Shishio as she fled past him down the dirt road aiming for the trees only a scant fifty yards away.
Surprised, Razan made to run after her but came up short when Shishio threw out his arm to stop him.
"She won't get far, she is mine. Mind, soul...and body."
Running for all she was worth, Kaoru didn't even notice her raven locks coming loose from her hair tie to flow out behind her, the golden highlights twinkling in the sunlight. Freedom was just within her grasp, mere yards away, when she began to feel as if she was running through water. First ankle high but getting deeper and deeper the further she got down the road until she felt as if she was fighting against the driving current of a river. Panting, she dropped to her knees and tried to crawl, moving one knee she fought against the invisible force trying to pull her back. A cry of anger ripped from her throat when she was completely stopped, unable to move any further.
Slowly the pull began to recede allowing her to glance over her shoulder. Her heart plunged to her feet when she saw Shishio walking towards her, a knowing smile on his lips. The closer he came to her the more movement she was allowed until she was finally able to stand. Eyeing him warily she backed away from him as he halted, and immediately felt the pull drag at her again the further she moved away from him. Kaoru started to shake as realization struck her hard in the gut. She really was bound to him with unbreakable chains just as her mother had said.
Horrified, a shriek of fury and hopelessness tore from the very depths of her soul, shattering the silence of the forest. Losing control she clutched her head and fell to her knees as something began to answer her call pushing against the barrier, aching to break free. The need to destroy what was harming her flowed out from deep inside her mind, battering itself against the flimsy wall holding it back. Terrified she reinforced the barrier just in time, stopping it from breaking loose. Suddenly exhausted she fell forward, resting her forehead on the dusty ground. Kami, what am I?!
Shishio loosened his grip on the bond as he closed the distance between them, sure she wasn't going to try anything again. He could feel her terror echoing along the bond. She'd been cowed by her own lack of knowledge, her fear of the unknown and of herself. Grinning, he realized it wouldn't take much to push her far enough to lose control...she was the ultimate weapon and nothing would stand in his way now.
In a couple of steps he reached her huddled form and leaned down to grasp her arm. He was surprised when she yanked out of his grip and stood, backing away slowly.
"What am I?" Kaoru growled angrily, still feeling terribly unbalanced.
Shishio simply smiled. "You, my dear, are the weapon that will bring Japan to its knees."
Kaoru's temper snapped, flying at him she grabbed ahold of his gi. Her eyes flaring as she fisted the fabric in a white-knuckled grip. "WHAT AM I?"
A grin touched Shishio's lips, loosening her hold on his gi he pulled her tight to his chest. "Do you really want to know what you hold within you, sweet angel?" he teased. Leaning his forehead against hers he murmured, "You have within you both the power to heal and the power to destroy those who would harm you. Passed down to you by our founding mother Takashi Akiko...a fallen angel."
Kaoru stiffened. Pulling away from him as far as she could she met his eyes as a tingle of fear crawled up her spine. "Angel? What do you mean?" When he remained silent, she scoffed. "You’re insane. I've never healed or destroyed anything before in my life."
A sly grin lit up Shishio's face. "Ah but you see, my dear, you were unable to use the healing part of your blood unless you were bonded...but now that you are mine neither of us can be harmed much less die." And then he leaned until his nose was almost brushing hers. "And the destruction part has lain dormant because of your own lack of knowledge. Do you know, you could have killed me with it before I formed the bond but now it's too late, not even that will kill me now." Relishing the shudder that swept through her body he placed a soft kiss on her slightly parted lips, "I will use what's inside you to destroy my enemies."
Kaoru stared at him in horror. Yanking herself out of his hands she fell back onto the ground, "I'm not what you say I am, I could never kill anyone...ever!"
"Yes you can, my dear, and you will." Reaching down he took hold of her arm and hauled her to her feet, leading her towards the carriage. "We go now to see just what kind of destruction you are capable of."
Kaoru fought against his iron grip, twisting and wrenching against his pull. Deep down a part of her knew he was right, she could destroy even against her will. She'd felt it when the power he was talking about had surged up desperately wanting to hurt him for harming her. A moment later she was shoved roughly into the carriage and she sprawled across the seat knocking her head hard against the bare wood. With a grimace she righted herself and spun around intending to jump back out but came up short when Shishio joined her within on the facing seat. Scooting back she slammed herself against the far wall, trying to get as far away from him as possible. The carriage suddenly jerked forward violently and she was abruptly thrown into his lap. A small cry escaped her as she impacted with his chest. Instantly she straightened and darted away from him, curling into the far corner.
A small chuckle escaped Shishio's lips as he eyed her slight form tucked into the corner. She look like a frightened rabbit...ah but a beautiful rabbit. Regrettable as it was he was going to have to get rid of Yumi now but the nubile little filly before him would more than make up for the loss.
Unable to meet the hungry look Shishio had leveled on her Kaoru ignored him the best she could and stared out the window watching the trees pass by. A sudden cold chill swept through her body making her shiver uncontrollably. She couldn't take much more. The very thought of being chained to him for the rest of her life was already pushing her perilously close to the edge, she could feel the power swimming behind the barrier agitated by her fear. What frightened her the most at the moment was that she couldn't control what was in her, she was afraid of what would happen if it was ever unleashed.
Closing her eyes she tried to quiet her fear to calm the raging monster in her mind. Unbidden Kenshin, Yahiko and Sano's faces popped up pulling at her heart. Kami she missed them, the arguments between Sano and Yahiko, Kenshin's quiet strength. She wondered if Kenshin even knew she was gone yet. Shaking her head she knew he probably didn't. He had enough to worry about with the destruction of Tomoe's grave and hunting down the one who would do such a thing, he was likely still in Kyoto. Curling further into herself a single tear escape her closed lids. It didn't matter if he did or not anyway, there was no way he could save her...no one could, she was truly lost to the ones she loved.
Shishio watched her tighten herself further into a ball, he could feel the complete loss of hope echo through the bond. She was finally starting to realize there was no possibility of escape. Pleased he glanced out the window to judge their locale. Perfect. Reaching across the carriage he knocked his fist against the wooden wall, signaling Razan to stop. Instantly the carriage came to a screeching halt, throwing Kaoru into his lap again as it rocked. The smile on his face turned into a full-fledged grin at the feel of her soft body pressed against him, locking his arms around her he murmured in a low voice, "Come, my dear, time to see what you can do."
With that he let her go, opened the door and stepped out, offering her his assistance.
Kaoru ignored his outstretched hand and hesitantly stepped from the carriage, fighting down the sickening feel of his lust that was seeping through the solid barrier she'd built to block him out. Tightening the barrier even more she sighed when the feeling completely disappeared. Doing her best to ignore his physical presence she glanced to their surroundings and took note of the sea of green that went as far as she could see, the trees only broken by the path leading back towards the mansion and down the mountain.
Suddenly her wrist was locked in a tight grip and she was led through the underbrush along a small deer path. Prickers pulled and tore at the soft material of her hakama, jabbing painfully into her skin every once in a while. Ignoring the tiny bites into her skin she walked along after Shishio, trying to figure out if there was some way to stop him from unleashing the power within her. There had to be a way, it was inside her after all, not him. She had to have some kind of control over it. She couldn't allow him to break the barrier again, even now the power gently prodded against the barrier in hopes of destroying her enemies.
So lost in her internal quest Kaoru didn't notice when they broke out of the dense foliage and into a wide open area. Continuing her forward motion she walked right into Shishio's still form. With a surprised hiss, she stumbled back and looked around in an attempt to get her bearings again. Her breath hitched in her throat when she peeked around Shishio and saw the beautiful emerald green meadow rolling away in all directions, the healthy knee high grass gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. Stepping up beside him she noticed a huge lone sakura tree standing solitary in the middle of the field, it’s heavily laden limbs reaching high up into the heavens.
A tug on her arm set her to moving again. Icy fear gripped ahold of her, freezing the blood in her veins as Shishio led her towards the tree. The sure purpose in his stride alerting her that the moment was near. She had to find a way to stop him now! She couldn't let him win, she didn't want to see what she was capable of.
As they neared the sakura tree Shishio drew her fallen ribbon from his gi. Leading her under the heavily laden branches he lifted her arm to the lowest limb, fighting against her insistent tugging as he tied her wrist to the branch and stepped away. The fear swirling in her sapphire eyes set his heart to thumping fiercely in his chest. Grabbing ahold of her writhing form he locked her in a hard kiss relishing the softness of her lips beneath his, The sweetness of her taste and despair was a heady elixir driving him to want more even though he knew he shouldn't.
Kaoru's stomach heaved violently as Shishio trailed his tongue along her bottom lip, trying to force his way into her mouth. She tried pulling away from him but he had her locked in a bone crushing grip, she could barely breath let alone move. After trailing several nipping kisses across her mouth he finally released her and stepped back. She spat at him, trying to rid herself of the feel of his lips against hers.
"Do that again and I will find a way to kill you!" She threatened, any fear she'd had quickly burning away under the anger that pulsed through her veins.
A small smile graced Shishio's lips. "Nothing can kill me, sweet angel," he taunted, trailing his finger along the soft skin of her cheek. "But if simply kissing you ignites such anger I will have to do it more often. I do love fiery women."
Kaoru shivered, sickened by his touch. Glaring at him she reached up and started picking at the knot trying to free her wrist, her fear building steadily again as the memory of the stone room flitted through her mind. She couldn't take that again
Shishio grabbed a hold of her hand and shook his head, "I can't let you do that." Accepting the line of rope Razan held out he tied her other wrist to another limb successfully securing her to the tree. With a smile he stepped to admire his handiwork. She resembled the foreign god that some of the people were starting to worship, all she was missing was the crown of thorns on her head. Shaking his head he amended that, no she's a goddess...a goddess of destruction.
His personal goddess.
Shishio grinned at the thought and glanced to Razan, "Stay close to the tree, she will kill you if you're not near her." With that he spun on his heel and started to make his way to the edge of the trees again, he wanted to see the full view of her power.
Glaring at Shishio's back Kaoru desperately fought against the bonds holding her. Strangling fear tightened her throat as the power started pushing more insistently against the barrier, fighting to break free. Quickly realizing her agitation was making the battle futile she stopped fighting and focused on calming herself instead. Taking several slow even breaths to calm her racing heart she was rewarded when the power quieted settling into a dull throb, eddying softly behind the wall.
A sudden lash against the barrier made Kaoru scream in mental pain, causing the power to lurch up again and batter violently against the barrier. Fighting for control she grabbed ahold of the barrier with an iron fist and poured all of her strength into keeping the wall in place. Another lash weakened her hold and to her horror she felt the barrier crack under the pressure. Sealing the crack quickly she waited for another lash, ready to reinforce the barrier again if need be. When none came she relaxed somewhat and opened her eyes, across the meadow she could see Shishio leaning against a tree, his blood red eyes glowing in the sunlight. A faint chuckle drifted to her on the wind and Kaoru narrowed her eyes, he was enjoying this, she could feel the glee slide along the bond slipping into her skin. A sudden surge of anger tore through her chest. Grabbing ahold of the bond she viciously slammed the barrier closed in an attempt to severe the link. A hiss of pain echoed through the quiet meadow and she smiled in satisfaction when she opened her eyes and saw Shishio bent over on his knees gripping his head.
Yet what she didn't realize was that her rebellion only fueled his sadistic nature.
Shaking off the headache her weak retaliation caused, Shishio righted himself slowly as a malicious laugh bubbled up from deep within his chest. So she wanted a fight huh? Fixing her with an icy glare, he almost smiled when her sapphire eyes grew impossibly large. For long moment he simply held her gaze, prolonging her torment, and then he gathered his strength and lashed out again with all the power he could muster. She would break whether she wanted to or not.
An ear-piercing scream ripped from Kaoru's throat as her body jerked from the impact of the mental whiplash. Losing her hold on the barrier it shuddered and split under the onslaught. Allowing the power to surge out of its prison it exploded out of her very pores, wrapping the tree she was bound to in a bright golden cocoon. Dark, thundering clouds materialized in the sky, throwing bolts of lightning to the ground in a deadly dance, splitting trees and the ground in it's wake. A howling wind followed, its roar preceeding the ripping of trees from their hold to be tossed away like grassblades. The earth shivered and exploded around the entire tree caving into itself before it rolled out like a carpet throwing chunks high into the sky to bounce off the shield surrounding her.
The sight and sound of it all overwhelmed the witnesses.
Shishio laughed as the power exploded from her wrapping them both in a protective shell. He felt a tentacle of the power shoot through the bond, intent on harming him in any way it could. Waiting for it to finally reach him he laughed again when it burned away in the bright glow surrounding him. Turning his attention to the destruction being leveled on the meadow and the surrounding forest he watched mesmerized as the wave of earth neared him only to split and curve around him leaving him untouched yet continuing to roll past him, leveling everything in its path. Shifting his eyes to Kaoru a chuckle escaped him, she was so bright he could barely see the outline of her figure within the golden globe surrounding the tree. He could feel the battle being waged inside her mind, tilting his head to the side he idly wondered if she would be able to win or if he'd have to step in and help her lock it down.
Consumed in a battle to keep her sanity Kaoru fought tenaciously for control as the unleashed monster within ruthlessly ripped her mind apart. The sheer force of its need to destroy the one hurting her pulling her into a maelstrom of endless darkness. Trying to build a barrier she screamed in fury as the power shredded it before she could get it caged. Determined to lock the beast down she tried again and again to build the wall only to have the power begin to rip it apart. Despairing at her inability she gasped as an outside presence suddenly stepped in and threw up a temporary barrier, allowing her time to complete hers. Sealing the power down she sighed and sagged in relief, exhausted from the battle. A barely discernable whisper filtered into her battered mind, the sadness in the voice echoing through her soul.
"Gomen, little one, this is all my fault."
Tears welled up in Kaoru's eyes, the pain in the whispered entreaty touching something deep inside her heart. She couldn't take anymore, she just wanted to die and be free of the beasts within her and those without.
Shishio scowled when he felt another presence enter Kaoru's mind and help her block the power. Suddenly the glow surrounding them faded leaving them open to the aftereffects of the power's destruction. Tremors continued to shake the ground beneath his feet as the earth settled back into itself. Slowly making his way over the torn ground he reached Kaoru's limp figure and reached up, releasing one wrist as Razan did the same with the other. Catching her before she crumbled to the ground he lifted her into his arms and started his way back to the carriage; grinning triumphantly. He didn't need man-made weapons, all he needed was her.
Feeling the swaying motion of Shishio's gait, Kaoru slowly opened her eyes and felt sick when she saw destruction surrounding them. Rising up slightly, she peeked over Shishio's shoulder to see the full extent of what she'd done and immediately regretted it. The sakura tree remained untouched in the middle of what used to be the meadow, its blossoms shivering in the light breeze that swept over them, looking surreal in the midst of chaos. The emerald green grass was completely buried beneath the chunks of broken earth, the forest in the distance now leveled for as far as the eye could see. The trees ripped from the ground to lay in broken heaps. Closing her eyes she sank into the darkness of exhaustion tickling the edge of her senses as tears ran unchecked down her cheeks. She truly was a monster if she could destroy so much simply with her mind.
Tucking the now sleeping Kaoru closer to his chest, Shishio carefully picked his way over the broken ground until he finally reached what was left of the trail leading down the mountain. It had been completely destroyed for as far as the eye could see in both directions. Directly across from him, the carriage lay in broken pieces against the trunk of a monstrous tree stump tilting haphazardly to the side, the horses lay in a heap speared by limbs that had been driven ruthlessly through their sides linking them together even in death. Turning to Razan a lazy smile touched his lips, "Looks like we're walking".
With that he started picking his way over the ground back towards the mansion, cradling Kaoru's sleeping form even tighter. He wasn't going to let anything happen to his precious angel, she was far too valuable to lose now.
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